Spirit Hunger Workbook Session One

Gari Meacham
spirit hunger
workbook
F illing O ur D eep L onging
to
C o n n e c t w i t h G od
Six Sessions
0310688221 SpiritHunger int_CS5.indd 1
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ZONDERVAN
Spirit Hunger Workbook
Copyright 2012 by Gari Meacham
This title is also available as a Zondervan ebook. Visit www.zondervan.com/ebooks.
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Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530
ISBN 978-0-310-68822-8
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Contents
Invitation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00
How to Use This Workbook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00
Session ONE
Hiding, Controlling, and Mocha Lattes. . . . . . . 00
Session TWO
Engaging God: From Longing to Prayer. . . . . . . . 00
Session THREE
Whispers and Screams: How Do We Pray?. . . . . . . 00
Session Four
The Guts to Believe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00
Session Five
Listening Postures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00
Session Six
Whos in Charge?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00
Bonus Session Seven

The Look of a Disciple. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00
Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00
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Invitation
I love invitations. They make me feel like I get to be a part of something.
So rather than call this an introduction or a meet-and-greet the author,
Id like to invite you to somethinga chance to get gutsy with God.
Gutsy is my favorite word. Its the new brave, if you will. Yet, as admirable and adventurous as this word sounds, its often more tempting to
stay safe in my love for God rather than daring; cozy rather than courageous. Do my prayers reflect the desire I have to communicate with
God? Do I listen for God, or do I talk right over him? What would happen if I truly abandoned myself to experience an adventure with God?
I found myself reading one of the psalms in which David cried out with
a desperate longing for his Creator. Actually, his cry sounded more
like moaning. Although I can cry and moan with the best of them, I was
struck that the motive behind my moaning often centers on me, not my
longing for God. It was this aha moment that inspired me to surge into
a new way of engaging him. A gutsy way of praying and believing this
God I proclaim to adore.
When I was a young girl, whenever someone did something fantastic
wed yell, That took guts! Privately, I always wished I could ask those
people how they mustered up the courage to try things differently. How
did they gather their wits about them and move ahead, regardless of
the fear or cynicism that whispers, Youll never change?
We live in a time when theres never been more access to great materialbooks, magazines, webcasts, blogs, sermons, seminars. We seem
to be either informational gluttons or malnourished seekers. But the
real question behind this glut of material is three simple words: Are we
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changing? I want to do more than moan; I want to long for the God that
can change me.
So, with an invitation filled with promise, adventure, and gutsI ask
you to join me. Grab a coffee, sweet tea (my current favorite), or water
with a bright-yellow lemon wedge. Sit down by yourself or with good
friends, and enjoy this ride. I promise it will be anything but boring. Ive
often said that if you preach to me, I retain a portion of what was said,
but if you walk alongside me, thats when I grow. We walk this path as
fellow travelers, you and I, and I promise for the next six weeks we will
grow together as we hike some rough terrain and meander in some lush
meadows. At the end of this study I cant wait to say to you, Youve got
guts!because thats what your life will reflect; a gutsy new way of loving our God.
Sweet Blessings!
Gari
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SPIRIT HUNGER WORKBOOK INVITAITION
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How to Use
This Workbook
The Spirit Hunger Workbook is intended for use with the Spirit Hunger
DVD, sold separately. My book of the same name is also recommended
as supplemental reading, but is not required to fully enjoy the study.
The main feature of the workbook is a five-day personal study for each
session. This is a time when you can feed and fill yourself with Gods
Word and company. For those of you who crave even further study,
Ive included an optional Going Deeper section at the end of most
days. Look at this section as a type of spiritual espresso where you can
explore what weve covered that day in a bit more depthlike adding
an extra caffeine kick to your Bible study!
Spirit Hunger is designed to be used in either group or individual
settings:
For Group Use

If youre enjoying Spirit Hunger as a group, Ive set up your time
together a bit differently than what you may be used to. In weeks two
through six, you will begin with group discussion questions that touch
on the personal study you did individually the prior week. Its a starting
point for groups and leaders, filled with questions you can mull over
and linger around. Then you will watch a video teaching segment, about
fifteen to twenty minutes long, introducing the topic of the personal
study for the following week. (The workbook includes an overview for
all the video segments that highlights the main points as well as space
to jot a few notes.)
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In week one, because you will not yet have completed a personal study,
you will start by viewing the video segment and then discussing the
related questions. These questions will take you to the heart of Spirit
Hunger and prepare you for the weeks to come.
Ive also included a bonus weekweek sevenso that you can get
together to discuss the personal study from week six and end your
study of Spirit Hunger in a time of prayer.
The material provided for each session should easily fill about an hour;
if your group meets longer, Im sure youll put the additional time to
good use!
For Individual Use

If youre not currently in a group, theres no reason you cant benefit
from this study in your own personal devotional time (or perhaps with a
good friend). Simply watch the video segments on your TV or computer
and answer the group discussion questions on your own.
Lets Eat!
I love sitting around a table after a meal talking, laughing, and telling
stories. I hope youll find this study to be like a great conversation after
a meal. I cant wait to dine with you, friends, and although Im not much
of a cookI am a lover of good talks, Gods Word, and moments of clarity that fill our spirits hunger to be fed. So with great anticipation, lets
start our study.
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SPIRIT HUNGER WORKBOOK HOW TO USE THIS WORKBOOK
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Hiding, Controlling,
and Mocha Lat tes
Have you ever felt a gnawing inside, a tug of emotion that lingers with a
sense of emptiness even though life seems full? Sometimes it grabs me at
night when my mind finally settles after a full day; other times I wake with
ita hope that today will fulfill my hearts desire for something I cant
quite name. This gnawing tug of possibility is our Spirit Hunger; the place
inside us that longs to connect with God.
I wandered around for years wondering what that yearning was.
Why I could achieve certain goals and still feel empty. Why I could
be surrounded by p
eople and still feel alone. Even after falling head
over heels in love with my Savior J esus, that wrenching desire can still
overtake me like waves crashing on a rocky beach.
After running from, numbing, ignoring, stuffing, and analyzing this desire
till Im blue in the face, Ive come to recognize the hunger pains of my
spiritthe way it woos me back to the true filling it desires; an authentic
and continual dining with God.
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Video Overview
The main points are included here for you. Jot down additional notes if you wish.
The tone in many of the psalms is that of desperation, but often we find ourselves
committed but not desperate.
We long for things that make us uniquely women: nurturing; affirmation; to be noticed
and heardbut there is a longing at the core of womens lives that bullies itself in front
of all other longingsthe longing to be in control.
This need for control came from the first woman, Eve. (Genesis 3:6)
What happened in the garden is referred to as a sin issue, but it was also a control
issue.
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SPIRIT HUNGER WORKBOOK SESSION ONE
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Control has a muzzle. The muzzle to control is trust.
God taught women trust after their exodus from Egypt. In the wilderness they were
only able to gather a days worth of what they needed to sustain their families. They had
to trust that God would provide tomorrow what he had today.
Our spirits long to trust God, not control him.
Group Discussion Questions

1. Whats the difference between a committed Christian and a desperate Christian?
2. Donald Miller, author of the book Blue like Jazz, says The opposite of love is not
hate; its control. How does this definition change your view of control?
SeSSION ONE Hiding, Controlling,and Mocha Lattes 13
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3. How were the events in the Garden of Eden not just a sin issue, but a control issue?
(See Genesis 3:6.)
4. Gari mentioned the following descriptions in her list How to Know If You Have
Issues with Control. Can you think of others to add to the list?
Wont let anyone help in the kitchen or around the house, but then complains if
she doesnt do the chores, they wont be done right.
Uses nagging as a tool because if she doesnt nag, people wont budge.
Claims she wants a strong husband who leads, but criticizes when he tries to.
Exhausts herself trying to make everyone happy.
Tells other people how to drive, how to do things, and generally makes all the
decisions and choices in the household.
5. How is trusting God a muzzle to control?
6. If our spirits long to trust Godnot control himhow can we let go of control and
practice trust?
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Personal Study
Day One Sweet or Sassy?
Ive never been a coffee drinker. I know thats one step short of
sacrilegious in a country that has a Starbucks on every corner, but a few
years ago I found a drink that rivals anything Ive ever wanted to suck
through a strawsweet tea. It may sound silly, but when Im crawling into
bed at night I actually get excited to drink a big tea the next day. I dont
have many habits; as a matter of fact, God has taken me through some
achy times exposing behaviors and compulsions that have teased my
heart away from him. Thankfully, the sweet tea seems to be okay.
As I think about my physical longing for sweet tea, Im reminded of what
psychologists have known for centuries: Certain longings are universal to
humanity. They begin when we are born and carry through our lives until
we take our last breath. Much more important than sweet tea (although
I may beg to differ some mornings) is our longing for nurturing, attention,
and affirmation. We long for filling and purpose; we long for intimacyto
be treasured and valued; and sitting at the top of the list is our longing to
authentically connect with God.
Although these sound beautiful, like dainty flowers in a vase, we often
have no clue what to do with these longings when they beg for attention
they dont receive.
How did things get so messed up? When did the longings in our lives turn
to hauntings? Why do these longings get tangled with counterfeit fillings?
I believe the answer to these questions can be found in the very first
woman to walk the earthEve. Ive always heard the story of Adam and
Eve referred to as the fall of man, but Id like to call it the devastation of
woman, because what happened that day in the garden changed the face
of womens hearts and longings forever.
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Please turn to Genesis 3 and read verses 16. Write out verse 6
below.
The Bible says that after Eve ate of the fruit, she gave it to her husband
and he ate too. Theres no time frame given for how quickly he ate, but
I have a hunch it wasnt immediate. The truth is Adam knew better, but
I think Eve wore him down. Maybe it went something like this: Adam,
try this fruit that Ive eaten; its great! If he looked at her with a raised
eyebrow, I think she went for the nagging approach, Adam (said with a
bit of a whine), you really need to eat this. Im serious. Eat! If that didnt
work, I think she coyly began to cry, Why dont you want to do like Ive
done? Dont you want to share this special moment with me?
Whether he ate to get her to be quiet, or he just didnt have the spine
to stand up to her, control has now bullied its way onto the list of our
longings. Prior to the devastation of woman, the word control has never
been uttered. Now its screaming from the treetops.
To this day, it seems that women battle for control and men battle
being cowards. Do you see any control issues lurking in your life?
(Just so you know, it can come in the form of nagging, trying to
make everyone happy, being bossy, or frantically trying to keep all
your ducks in a row!)
I spent many years believing I didnt have a problem with control. I had
so many other issues God had to deal with; control just didnt seem to
be one of them. Until one day I realized that my issues with control were
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wrapped in a sweet package with a pretty bow, but were stinky and
mildewed when you got them out in the light. Sometimes I feel like Im
two different womenthe loving and kind me Ill call Sweet Girl and the
controlling, manipulating me Ill call Sassy Pants Girl.
If youve never considered yourself a Sassy Pants, see if you can
relate to some of these characteristics of a controlling woman.
Check any that sound like you.
Wont let anyone help in the kitchen or around the house, but
then complains that if she doesnt do everything it wont be
done right.
Uses nagging as a tool because if she doesnt nag, p
eople
wont budge.
Tries relentlessly to have everyone dressed perfect, acting
perfect, and living perfect; but when something happens off
her script, she yells or breaks down and cries.
Claims she wants a strong husband who leads, but then
criticizes when he tries to.
Exhausts herself trying to make everyone happy and put out
emotional fires.
Tells other people how to drive or do things; always gives
advice and opinions even when they arent welcome;
generally makes all the decisions or choices within the
household.
Charmingly says, Whatever you want ..., but then seethes
when the choice isnt what she wants!
If youre aware of any other ways you attempt to control, note
them here.
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A girlfriend of mine once said, We all have issues with control. We

are either controlling, or being controlled. Do you see yourself as
a controller, or one being controlled? Explain.
I remember one of the first times I experienced being mugged by control.

My husband, Bobby, was a fresh face on the New York Yankees roster.
After a few stints playing for them and being sent back to the minor leagues,
it looked like he was going to be their starting shortstop for a while. So, in a
blitz of excitement, I began looking for a place to live. In baseball life the joke
isif you buy a home somewhere, youre then going to be traded, released,
or sent back to the minor leagues. But I had no time for superstitious joking;
I wanted a home! After looking at a total of three homes, I proclaimed to
Bobby that I had found our dream house. It was formally a chicken farm
that had been made over by a couple that spent most of their time in
that house sleeping on unfinished floors with spackle smeared over their
faces. I fell in love with the place and began to concoct a plan to convince
Bobby that we had to have it. After some heavy persuading (controlling),
he reluctantly agreed, and we signed the contracts. We lived in that house
for eight years and, in all honesty, we loved that home; but I have to admit it
had many drawbacks that, had I listened or planned more carefully, I could
have avoided. Heres a few of our homeowner follies: the entire place had
to be rewired (electricians found old gas holders from gas lamps when they
opened up the walls); termites were eating away at the roof; the basement
was filled with asbestos, and squirrels had eaten their way inside and
created a squirrel condominium in our attic. Daily, Bobby would trap these
hissing varmints with peanut butter spread on bread, and cart the trap off to
a local park only to find out they were probably beating him back home with
their honing devices set on our attic!
Several years later, as Bobby and I found ourselves sitting on the couch of
a counselor talking through some pain that had swelled in our marriage,
he mentioned the fact that many years earlier he didnt express his
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true feelings about that house. Although we had many happy memories
there, he felt as if he should have moved us to a warm climate during the
baseball offseason so he could keep his skills sharp. My persuasive sassy
pants convinced him to buy that home; it makes me wonder how his
career may have played out had we lived somewhere else.
Now that Ive stepped on all ten of my toes, I promise to stop. But let me
end our time today by saying this: Control is the ultimate counterfeit of
love. Its the secret adulteress to good intent. Like a robber hiding in a
dark closet, control ambushes us. It gags us, and then surveys what it can
take from our lives without us noticing weve been robbed.
Were going to circle this topic again tomorrow, but youll be glad to know
that control has a muzzle, an off switch. Well get to that important truth
on Day Three.
Going Deeper (optional)
For the next six weeks, Id like to ask you to grab a blank notebook, journal, or your
iPadanything you can use to write out your thoughts and mental meanderings. We
talked about how control is the counterfeit of love. Id like you to go back to the initial
longings we discussed at the beginning of Day One and create a list. On one side of
your list, name the longings weve discussed; on the other side, name a counterfeit for
that longing. Ill show you my list; feel free to change words or add words of your own.
Longings
nurture
intimacy
purpose
discipline
treasured
Counterfeit
control
distrust
bland insecurity
laziness or procrastination
trampled or ignored
After youve created your list, can you see areas of true longing that are being crushed
by counterfeit substitutes? How have these substitutes crept into your life? Are there
events that led you to these counterfeit places, or has it been like the slow drip of a
faucet? How do you think God can change counterfeit longings to true Spirit desires?
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Day Two Hiding

Things under Trees
Sometimes I shake my head at the ways I think I can hand God my DayTimer and say, Here, make it happen. Being married to a professional
baseball player has ripped more pages out of my planner than I can
recall. After moving forty-seven times in a ten-year span, I finally started
to write my plans in pencil rather than scribbling them in permanent
marker.
When Bobby and I decided we were ready to have children, it was like
the wind of a whistling tornado bowled me over. I was consumed with
trying to plan (control) the birth of this new little prince or princess we
hoped to conceive. I pulled out a baseball schedule for the next year
and plotted a good time to deliver a child. Not in spring training (too
inconvenient), not in the middle of the season (wed probably be in the
pennant race), but how about the off-season? The winter months when
baseball is dormant seemed the perfect time for our angel to enter this
world. I prayed (told) God about this perfect plan and asked him to come
along if hed like.
Much to my surprise, I got pregnant quickly; but with no regard to my
plan, the due date of this baby was precisely in the middle of spring
training. After a bit of bristling, I came to terms with the date and settled
into dreams of a nursery and sweet gurgles. But after the first signs of
spotting, no amount of bed rest could stop the inevitable loss of that
sweet child. Bewildered and heartbroken, I asked God why he hadnt
followed my plan.
A few months later, we were pregnant again. I was cautiously excited, and
after my first visit to the doctor I realized this childs due date, May 26,
was during the regular season. However, mid-May arrived and my doctor
pushed the due date back to June 6. June came and wentno baby!
I was seeing the doctor every day to be monitored for this child that
didnt want to leave my womb. We finally welcomed our daughter, Brooke
Nicole, to the world on July 3smack in the middle of a heated pennant
race, and almost two months after the date I anticipated her arrival. So
much for trying to control God!
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If youve ever felt like youve tried to corral God into your way of thinking,
planning, or behavingwelcome to the sisterhood, sweet friends. Its
comforting to know were in good company. Many good women in
Scripture struggled with control issues. Nothing thrills me more than
seeing Bible women who are as messed up as me!
Sarah (originally Sarai) was a godly woman with major control issues.
Shes one of the few women physically described as gorgeous; married
to a prominent man of wealth and stature, Abraham; it looked like they
were a c ouple who had it all. But her heartache came in the form of
infertility, and it was through this heartache she learned to trust God.
Unfortunately, not before she made some huge mistakes as she tried to
help God with his promises for her life.
Please turn to Genesis 16 and read verses 13. Note below how
long Sarah and Abraham had lived in Canaan.
After ten years of waiting and praying, what was Sarahs plan to
remedy Gods delay?
The end of verse 2 contains a phrase that is pregnant with

meaning. Please write verse 2 below, and note Abrahams
response to Sarahs request.
Why in the world would Abraham agree to this arrangement? After all,
wasnt he the one who heard Gods promise for an heir with his own
ears? Suddenly Im reminded of the control/coward cycle we saw play
out with Adam and Eve. Abraham knows better, but instead of standing
as a protector, he lets the controlling whine of his wife dictate the events
within his family.
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The trouble with control is that whenever we manipulate circumstances

to get what we want, it never fills us like we thought it would. Consider
Sarahs response to getting what she wanted. Please read verses 46 and
notice Sarahs sudden change of character.
With whom is Sarah mad?
Ultimately, shes now mad at her husband, her maid, and God! Shes
so mad that shes treating Hagar harshly. Hagar, who did nothing but
follow Sarahs orders and become pregnant, is now the recipient of rude
interaction and hateful drama. Hagar is so distraught that she runs away
from the mess and has a powerful encounter with God.
Please read verses 713. Who visited Hagar in her painful running?
While there is debate about the identity of the angel of the Lord,
the evidence suggests that it was an appearance of God himself.
Its particularly significant that this is the first record of such a divine
appearance. Think of it! God did not come as the angel of the Lord to
Adam, Noah, Abraham, or any of the great men of Genesis. Instead, he
came to an Egyptian woman who was a slave.1
In verse 13 Hagar gives God a name. What does she call him?
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The God who sees is a beautiful description of Gods interaction

with his women. If someone truly sees us, they know us. Are you
experiencing the loving look of God in your life, or are you feeling
distant or unseen?
It seemed that Sarah and Hagar had peace for a while, or maybe they
just stayed on different ends of the campbut Hagar gave birth to a
son named Ishmael. Even though it was Sarahs plan to raise this son as
her own, she never seemed to bond with the boyanother reminder
that manipulation rarely brings satisfaction. In Gods time, Sarah finally
became pregnant and gave birth to her beloved Isaac, but her struggles
with control were far from over. At a party held for Isaacs weaning (think
birthday bash for a three-year-old), she saw Isaacs older half brother,
now around sixteen years old, taunting and teasing her son.
Read Genesis 21:921. What does Sarahs control rage sound like
in verse 10? Does it seem harsh to you?
Hagar finds herself wandering in the desert again, but this time
shes not aloneher teenage son is with her. Where does she
leave him (v.15) and why (v.16)?
Hagar cant bear to see her boy die, and as she is wailing and
crying before God, who else is crying (v.17)?
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Please write out verse 19 below, and underline what God did for
her physically.
God opened Hagars eyes! This is fascinating when we realize that the
well of water was there all the time; she just didnt have eyes to see it. I
wonder how often this happens in our lives. Were crying, wailing, begging
God for help and the answer is right there; we just need him to open our
eyes to see it. Financial heartache, relational pain, health issues, deadend jobs, marital strife, loneliness, poor self-imagecould it be that relief
is near us and we just dont have the eyes to see?
Hagar did the only thing she knew to do with what she loved the most
she hid him under a bush, and then lifted her voice to God. What do
you love the most in your life? What are you the most afraid of losing, or
letting go? Typically, these are the areas we try to control. Can you list
some of the things you hide under a bush? Ill get you started with a few
of my own: my children and their future, my husbands ever-changing job,
my health, my schedule.
Your turn:
1.
2
3
4
5
6. Other:
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I love Gods words to Hagar after she has hid her son under a bush.
What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy
crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will
make him into a great nation (v.17).
Just when we think God isnt listening to our cries from our deserts and
hiding places, he simply says, Dont be afraid because I see you. Sweet
friends, when God opens our eyes we see differently. Hagar was able to
drink from living water, and then give to her desperate son from Gods
provision. Rather than control God, we can drink from him. He opens our
eyes to a drink that satisfies and quenches our deepest thirst.
Scripture records the story of another man who was found under a tree. His name
was Nathanael. Please turn to John 1:4351. Notice where it was that J esus saw this
man. In your journal, write about what verse 50 means to you. How does it make you
feel to know that J esus sees you under your tree?
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Day Three Controls Muzzle

I have a deep love for schoolteachers. As a matter of fact, I think they
have a job that ranks as high as the presidency with regard to impact and
importance. Of course, because I taught school for fifteen years and was
a national consultant for the Public Education Business Coalition after I
left the classroom, I have an added sense of empathy and affection for
those in the dusty trenches educating our youth.
I tried in every way to make my third-grade classroom stimulating. Bobby
built a tree house that nestled in the corner of the room where kids
could read. I had two life-sized trees that stretched from the floor to
the ceiling, with branches blossoming fake flowers and leaves. Under
these trees were wicker couches and patio furniture outlined with picket
fences. Twinkle lights hung from the ceiling, casting a sweet glow on the
room throughout the day. We called our room the gardenand it was
my hope that we would grow and bloom there.
Yet no amount of decorating can replace kids need to understand and
to feel safe. I found that we needed a time each morning for community
buildinga time for sharing, questions, and expressing worries. So we
gathered on the floor with twinkle lights shining above. Kids would share
things about their lives; theyd ask questions and pour forth their concerns.
I would delicately weave assurance over their wordssick mommies and
daddies at home, broken families, not feeling smart enough to pass a test
whatever they wanted to share that day was our launching point.
I have to admit that the control freak in me didnt feel I could give up the
fifteen minutes in the morning this took; there were so many important
things I needed to get to. But I quickly recognized that the days we
didnt meet as a community seemed to unravel. Students would talk
inappropriately, murmur, complain, and be just plain antsy. Eventually
I put a name to what took place in our room in the mornings. It was a
verbal gushing, and if I handled it right, our days held the promise of
interaction and trust.
No one understood verbal gushing more than the Israelites. After Moses
led them out of Egypt, they found themselves in a peculiar place. It wasnt
the desert they were now wandering in that put them over the edge; I
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think it was their loss of control. In Egypt they were slaves, brutally forced
into hard labor and unfair circumstances, but they were used to the
routine of bondage. This new freedom in the wilderness was so unfamiliar
it about knocked their control-loving socks off. Sadly, sometimes we cling
to what were used to, even when what were used to stinks!
Please turn to Exodus 16 and read verses 14.
Its interesting that the wilderness between Elim and Sinai where the
Israelites were wandering is called Sin. You dont have to remind me that
the wilderness of Sin is truly a mean wilderness. My life has the scars
and healed wounds to prove it. This desert area is described as a vast,
desolate, hostile land of stone and sandthe perfect place to test and
teach Gods beloved how to trust.
What does the Israelites verbal gushing sound like in verse 3?
Write down the things they longed to go back to.
Its funny how a little hunger can throw us into a tailspin. To give up
freedom for the sake of food or comfort seems ridiculous, yet its exactly
where we often find ourselves. Ive learned my greatest life lessons from
food. Theres not one kind of behavior regarding food that I havent
pitifully participated in. Bingeing, purging, starving, overeating, sneaking,
managingyou name it, Ive done it. Ive been told that my intense desire
to control food stemmed from that fact that my childhood seemed so
out-of-control. At least food was something I could handle. But I wasnt
handling it at all; it was handling me.
When I was nine years old, a tragic car accident left my dad paralyzed
from the neck down. Our family spiraled into despair as my dad and mom
struggled to redefine their lives. Moms anguish led her to some dark
places with alcohol, and by the time I went to college I was carrying more
baggage than an international airport. At first, food became my confidant;
eventually, it became an adulteress that lured me toward death. One day
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in college, on the verge of taking my life because of anorexia and foodrelated heartache, I asked Jesus to heal me. I challenged him by saying,
If youre really real, change my life. Youre the only hope I have. No one
was pushing ideology or religion; it was just me and Jesus, and a plea
to save me from my attempt to control my out-of-control life. Thats the
good news about control; the more we give it up to God, the more we
feel secure. The more we release our tight grip, the more he can hold the
very hands that have released.
But the Israelites werent convinced that God could hold their fears and
worries; so they kept gushing.
Please read verses 1121. Write out Gods dining plan for the
Israelites, and then circle what he hoped it would prove to them
(v.12)?
Quails in the evenings and a flake-like thing in the morning was

Gods response to their hunger. What was the Israelites reaction to
the flake-like thing that appeared like frost in the mornings (v.15)?
They were so perplexed by this provision they literally whispered What

is it? Have you ever asked God the same thing? Maybe youve prayed
for something you really want or need: a cure for a health issue, a new job
opportunity, healing in a relationship, direction with decisions or dreams. Its
tempting to say to God, What is this stuff laying on the ground of my life?
Just because we dont recognize the way God sends his provision doesnt
mean hes not providing it! Sometimes were looking for a golden loaf of
mannabaked and browned to perfectionwhen God has provided flakes
hes baking into a different type of loaf. Something we cant even imagine.
Moses answered their question with a confident assurance that Gods in
control. It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. Not only had God
given them bread, he gave specific instructions as to how to enjoy it.
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What did God instruct in verses 1618, and how did the peoples
gathering of the manna play out?

The one who gathered much _______________________________________________________.
The one who gathered little _________________________________________________________.
Everyone gathered ________________________________________________________________________.
Moses boldly explained, Dont leave any of it until morning. For the
control freaks in the crowd, this was near impossible. I feel strangely
connected to these women in the desert. At least in Egypt they could
control what their family ate, and what they wanted to stuff in their
mouths. Now they had to gather each day only enough for the meals they
need, knowing that the next day they would have to trust God would
provide all over again.
Tomorrow well talk about the way things get stinky when we try to
hoard Gods provision instead of trust him for it. In the meantime, I think
pastor and author Mark Batterson got it right when he said, We want a
one-week or one-month or one-year supply of Gods provision, but God
wants us to drop to our knees every day in raw dependence on Him. And
God knows that if He provided too much too soon, wed lose our spiritual
hunger. He knows wed stop trusting in our Provider and start trusting in
the provision.2
Most people have heard about the manna God provided in the wilderness, but before
he provided manna he miraculously turned bitter water to sweet hydration. Read Exodus 15:2227 and consider memorizing verse 26: And he said, If you listen carefully to
the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on
the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.
Ponder these questions: How can God take bitterness and turn it into something
sweet? How does the Lord heal my diseasesboth physical and emotionalwith his
provision?
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Day Four Maggot Moments

I know the title of todays personal study may already have some of you
gagging, but please stay with me. I promise well be out of this muck soon!
Lets jump right into our Scripture.
Please turn to Exodus 16 and read verses 1921. What did Moses
command, and how did the Israelites respond?
I can hear the sigh of every parent, leader, teacher, and coach Why
dont they listen to what I say? I can just picture Moses grumbling under
his breath, Im about to pull my long beard out! Why do these people
refuse to do what theyre told? Its one of the few times we see Moses
get angry with the people. He was often frustrated, but now hes mad.
Maybe Moses was mad because the command seemed so simple: Just
take what you need and trust God for what you need the next day.
Im tempted to mumble, Those dumb Israelites, why cant they get it
together and trust God? But truthfully I relate to their stumbling. Ive
been deeply in love with God for over thirty years, and sometimes my
first reaction is still to control rather than trust.
What was the result of trying to hoard the manna? Write out verse
20 below.
I wish I could have heard the shrieks inside the tents when women pulled
the covers from their manna containers and noticed that the manna was
squirming. Id have probably dropped the container on the ground and
run, only to have to return later and clean up smelly maggots from the
floor of the living space.
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Trying to outthink God always ends up foul, in some way or another.

This need for control offers a fake comfort to the unsure circumstances
of life. Control morphs into grown-up pacifiers. Its a binky Ill try to
grab anytime I feel uncomfortablereplacing my true spirit hunger with
momentary comfort or soothing.
If a pacifiers role is to soothe and calm, what type of pacifiers do
you grab for? Heres a list that might help you get started: food,
shopping (a women at a shoe store told me yesterday she has
over a hundred pairs of shoes, and doesnt even have a job ... she
laughed at her predicament, but my heart was breaking for her),
mirrors, full schedules, alcohol, excessive exercise, daily lists that
can be checked off perfectly, hours of mindless TV, the thrill of
intimate gossip cloaked in a prayer request.
Like every child whos ever loved a binky, a time comes when we need
to let it go. Nothing seems more ridiculous than an adult walking around
sucking a rubber nipple. But how do we really change? How do we move
away from cherished habits (behavior ruts) to a new way of looking at
thingsa fresh way of behaving? The answer to this question lies in the
heartbeat of two words: trust and obedience.
I know weve heard these words smack us upside the head for years, but
Im talking about falling in love with these words. Giving yourself over to
them like a bride gives herself to a groom on their wedding night. If you
allow yourself to be redefined by trust and obedience, the outcome will
be stunning: a godly woman who trusts rather than panics, who loves
rather than spews, who confidently wakes each morning with purpose
and hope.
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Please turn to the following Scriptures and bask in the word trust
as you write each one below.
Psalm 4:35
Proverbs 3:58
John 14:27
Psalm 56:34
Trust is the muzzle to control. Its the off-switch to the constant drone
of controls raspy whisper. The stately companion to trust is obedience.
Trusting God does us no good if were not willing to obey what he shows
us in trusts sweet embrace.
I had always viewed obedience as a type of sacrificelike I should
receive some kind of spiritual applause because my obedience is such a
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chore. But Ive come to view obedience as a gift, one I both receive and
give. I reap the qualities of an obedient spirit (discipline, healthy choices,
joyfulness, honesty) and hand my obedience to God as a love gift (Heres
my messy but obedient will, yours for the taking).
Oswald Chambers explains obedience with gentle clarity when he says,
The spirit of obedience gives more joy to God than anything else on
earth.... When the love of God is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy
Ghost (Romans 5:5), I am possessed by the nature of God, and I know by
my obedience that I love him. The best measure of a spiritual life is not its
ecstasies, but its obedience. To obey is better than sacrifice.3
May we lift the gifts of trust and obedience to God this day, and receive
back the gifts of peace and clarity. It seems God cant be outgifted as
he hands back far greater gifts than we courageously offer.
Why is trust one of the hardest things we ever do? Could it be that we are used to
seeing trust trampled by humans, making it hard to find God trustworthy?
In your journal, do a trust survey over your life. Have there been key p
eople that
should have been trustworthy but werent (parents, teachers, boyfriends, coaches,
husbands, friends)? In what ways did their untrustworthy behavior make you skeptical
of others, perhaps even God?
When youre done with your survey, read Isaiah 40:1011 and 49:1416 and write
them next to your trust survey as a reminder of the type of trust you can count
on with God.
7/29/12 2:12 PM
Day Five Jesus Gets Wet

When I was in college, each summer I would return home to work at
a local health club. One of my duties was to teach all kinds of aerobic
classes. I know Im dating myself here ... think big hair, leggings over tights,
and disco music while we jumped around on a hardwood floor!
One day my boss informed me that he wanted me to teach water
aerobics in the pool. How hard can it be? I thought, as I stood on the dry
cement barking out commands to the ladies immersed in the pool. When
the class ended, my boss called me aside and told me that to be an
effective teacher I needed to get in the water with the ladies and actually
do the class with them. Ive never forgotten that lessonand boy, was he
right. Class attendance tripled, and so did my compassion for those I was
teaching.
One of the things I love most about Jesus is that he was willing to be fully
humanto experience the same fears, moods, pain, joy, and temptation
to fill ourselves with things that dont draw us to God. Jesus does not
teach us from the side of a pool, but rather hes in the pool with us; fully
drenched with the struggles we face and the water we swallow just trying
to stay afloat.
Please turn to Matthew 4 and read verses 111the account of
Jesus testing by Satan in the wilderness.
The fact that Satan tried to tempt Jesus with control issues exhilarates
me. Its like a fan blowing in my face when Im drenched on a muggy day.
Jesus not only understands this struggle, he overcame it!
After forty days and nights with no food, Jesus was vulnerableand his
vulnerability showed itself as hunger. Many books and sermons have
been written and preached on this first temptation; and although Ive
had more than my share of struggles with this one, I want to focus on
the following two enticements here (see more on the first temptation in
Going Deeper).
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Reread verses 57 and describe what you think Satan is after.
In essence, Satan is saying, You are in control of your own life. You are
the boss of yourself. God wont let anything happen to you, so do as you
please! Can you imagine throwing yourself off the highest point of the
temple just because you know God will protect you? In some ways, weve
all done this. At times Ive abused my body, nurtured thoughts that led
me to dark places, withdrew when I should have pursued, and challenged
when I should have submitted. All the while muttering, God understands.
Hes got me covered.
How is this kind of thinking a form of control?
Jesus stings Satan with the force of a hornet. What is his response
to the absurd notion that we can test God?
Reread verses 810 and write verse 10 below.
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Jewish p
eople have a word for bold assurance. Its chutzpah
(pronounced hoots-pah), which has been described as utter nerve or
sheer audacity that borders on obnoxious. 4 I hate to ever refer to Jesus
as obnoxious, but I have to admit, we need to get more obnoxious in our
dealings with Satanbecause Satan certainly is obnoxious with us! Just
like Jesus, we need to show some chutzpah when Satan lies to us.
Go back to the following three verses and write down the three
words J esus uses to start each of his responses to Satans lies:

Verse 4: _______________________________________________________________________________________.
Verse 7: _______________________________________________________________________________________.
Verse 10: _____________________________________________________________________________________.
Imagine your life if you blasted Satans lustful undertones with, It is

written!
You are in control of your life ... God doesnt really care what you do as
long as you are a good personNo, it is written!
Go ahead and do whatever you want (eat gluttonously, drink
excessively, sleep with people you arent married to, live in a lazy state of
procrastination), its really no big dealNo, it is written!
Serve God; talk about him; pray to him; but dont pay attention to how
he wants to capture every part of you with his healing breathNo, it is
written!
What a jolt these three words are to a host of seductive temptations. I
dont know about you, but I have a new vocabulary just itching to bounce
off my lips. Theres a new sheriff in town and his name is Jesus. I bet that
etched across his badge are the words, It is written. Its how he lived,
how he spoke, how he loved, and how he died. It is written are the
words that define J esus.
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I wonder what words define you. Look at the phrases and words
below and check any that have a habit of oozing from your life:
Whatever
Maybe tomorrow
Whats the big deal?
No one really cares
Other: ______________________________________________________
Join me and add a new phrase to your life definitionIt is written. Try
saying it repeatedly today, and just for fun, notice how your day plays out
a bit smoother.
I mentioned the first temptation J esus faced was with food, but what intrigues me
about this encounter is how Jesus refers back to the flake-like thing we mentioned
in Day Three. Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3 straight to Satans repulsive face. Write
this verse in your journal, and then describe the reason God allowed the Israelites to
be hungry. Why did this statement fly in the face of Satans lure for control? How can
your spiritual hunger lead you back to the true source of satisfaction found in God
alone?
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Bonus Session:
The Look of a Disciple
Session
Seven
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Questions for Group Discussion

1. Why is the metaphor of potter and clay (Jeremiah 18:8; Romans 9:2021) a perfect
description for how God molds and uses us?
2. Even though the potter-and-clay metaphor sounds beautiful, its anything but easy
to swallow sometimes! How does the first pottery principle ring true in your life?
(Pottery Principle #1: We dont want to be the clay; we want to be the potter.)
3. Given the life Daniel lived and the trials he faced, how do you think he viewed the
first pottery principle?
4. How did King Nebuchadnezzar learn the ramifications of this principle, and the fact
that he wasnt his own potter?
5. When Daniels friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were about to be thrown
into the furnace for their beliefs, they uttered some of the most mature words in the
Bible:
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of
blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does
not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or
worship the golden image that you have set up. (Daniel 3:1718 NASB)
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How is this response a sign of maturity? How does our faith line up with this type of
declaration?
6. Some p
eople (like Nebuchadnezzar) have to be pushed to a breaking point before
they submit to the hand of God. Did you have a breaking point before you could
hear and obey? Are you praying for someone to get to their breaking point? Explain.
7. Why is it easy to get stuck looking at the pot God is making other p
eople into rather
than focusing on the pot he is creating us to be? How can you remedy this?
8. How do you fit into the passage where Peter encourages women to think more
about their internal beauty rather than their outward beauty (1Peter 3:36)? Is this
a battle for you, or a cause for insecurity? Remember, Peter didnt say its wrong to
care about beauty, but only that a particular type of spirit is precious and beautiful
to God.
9. What do you think of this statement from Day Four of the personal study: In one of
Gods greatest ironies, though pain causes sorrow, that sorrow can cause growth if
met with open surrender. How can sorrow cause growth if we let it?
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7/29/12 2:13 PM
10. What does a real disciple of Jesus look like to you? How can you tell a disciple from
a fake?
11. What session of Spirit Hunger has been the most meaningful to you and why? How
do you feel gutsier in your faith now that you have completed this study?
Prayer Focus
Use the remainder of your time together to focus on prayer. If you can, dim the
lights and quiet the environment. You may start by reflecting on J esus plea for us
to ask, seek, and knock as we come to him.
Think about the listening postures of humility and expectation. Sit quietly, humbly
laying before God anything that might be in the way of your pure communication
with him. Expectantly share with him whats on your hearts.
If some participants would like to share their vision prayer, join one another in lifting those desires.
As you close your time together, ask the Lord, Where do we go from here? What
are his plans for you individually and as a group? Praise him for his presence in
your weekly sessions and in your lives.
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7/29/12 2:13 PM

Spirit Hunger Workbook Session One

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Spirit Hunger Workbook Session One

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Gari Meacham

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Bonus Session Seven

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SPIRIT HUNGER WORKBOOK INVITAITION

For Group Use

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For Individual Use

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SPIRIT HUNGER WORKBOOK HOW TO USE THIS WORKBOOK

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SPIRIT HUNGER WORKBOOK SESSION ONE

Control has a muzzle. The muzzle to control is trust.

Our spirits long to trust God, not control him.

Group Discussion Questions

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5. How is trusting God a muzzle to control?

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A girlfriend of mine once said, We all have issues with control. We

I remember one of the first times I experienced being mugged by control.

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SPIRIT HUNGER WORKBOOK SESSION ONE

Going Deeper (optional)

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Day Two Hiding

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SPIRIT HUNGER WORKBOOK SESSION ONE

The end of verse 2 contains a phrase that is pregnant with

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The trouble with control is that whenever we manipulate circumstances

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SPIRIT HUNGER WORKBOOK SESSION ONE

The God who sees is a beautiful description of Gods interaction

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SPIRIT HUNGER WORKBOOK SESSION ONE

Going Deeper (optional)

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Day Three Controls Muzzle

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SPIRIT HUNGER WORKBOOK SESSION ONE

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Quails in the evenings and a flake-like thing in the morning was

They were so perplexed by this provision they literally whispered What

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SPIRIT HUNGER WORKBOOK SESSION ONE

The one who gathered much _______________________________________________________.

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SeSSION SEVEN Bonus Session: The Look of a Disciple 203